Wike's Distinguished Award for Infrastructure Delivery, an affirmation of excellence in governance

On Friday, October 21, 2022, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was presented with the “Distinguished Award in Infrastructure Delivery” by President Muhammadu Buhari, during the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS), which took place at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria.

The monumental significance of this prestigious NEAPS, which has also been conferred on other eminent and outstanding Nigerians in different fields of endeavour, is not lost on both supporters and loyalists of Governor de Rivers, but especially for the opponents, the detractors and the handful of anti-progressives of Rivers.

There are also those who were excessively obsessed with "brick and mortar" innuendo, who took it upon themselves to embark on an unsolicited campaign of negative criticism against every good job of Governor Wike, to from the time he took office on May 29. , 2015.

Specifically, NEAPS was established to recognize distinguished public service in Nigeria, either in contributions to individuals, the state or the local community, or to the public through excellence in leadership, service or humanitarianism.

To be eligible for recognition, the recipient must be a living public official or private citizen, excelling in a given sphere of influence, of good character, upright and must also be at the forefront of service and innovation.

The individual must show an act of public service beyond the acts of his given mandate by positively endowing his society, in the service of the country. There is absolutely no doubt that Wike has met all of the criteria stipulated for recognition, nomination and award of this prestigious national award by the President.

This point is particularly relevant in the context of comments from some naysayers, who annoyedly alleged that the award was obtained, after a pecuniary undertaking was extended to certain neighborhoods, to facilitate the nomination.

Nothing could be more ridiculous and irrationally absurd than this allegation, especially given the clear and indisputable fact that the "Distinguished Award for Infrastructure Delivery" could be said to be perfectly crafted and perfectly tailored for a leader like the Governor Wike, at such an auspicious time in our national evolution as a country.

That the Governor of Rivers State was deservedly recognized for this distinguished award came as no surprise to many Nigerians, most of whom are even of the view that the award was overdue and Wike should have received it before this date. Their reason is not far-fetched.

As early as 2017, just a few years after taking office, he had already carved out an indelible place for himself in the annals of infrastructure provision in the country, when none other than the Vice President of Nigeria, the Professor Yemi Osinbajo, christened him "Mr. Projects", in recognition of Governor de Rivers' tremendous achievements in infrastructure, during such a short period when most of his first-term colleagues were still trying to find their jobs. brands and familiarize themselves with the basics of their new term.

Needless to say, in the five years since the Vice President's uncommon acknowledgment of Governor Wike's pragmatic leadership, Governor de Rivers has completed an exceptional amount of infrastructure projects to cut breathtaking, fabulous and gigantic across the length and breadth of Rivers State, which have not only transformed the landscape of the Capital Territory of Port Harcourt and its environs into a capital worthy of the name, but have also provided access comfortable and a highway passage to many ancient kingdoms, hitherto accessible only by sea.

The 12 flyovers (some already completed and in use, while others are nearing completion and will all be completed before the end of his tenure), criss-crossing the ambience of Port Harcourt and the surroundings, the imposing state-of-the-art courthouse Nabo Graham Douglas Campus of the Nigerian Law School complex, Dr. Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Diagnosis Treatment Center, the impressive Mother and Child Hospital, the iconic Real Madrid football academy .

Other projects include the Sakpenwa-Kono two-lane highway, Opobo Unity road, rebuilt piers, renovated schools, rehabilitated internal roads across the state… are just some of the projects of infrastructure of the list which is simply too complete to unwind.

Added to this is the admirable fact that Governor Wike's generosity and humanitarian deeds, both at home and across the country, have now become legendary. Wike has done all of this, despite the comatose state of socio-economic and infrastructural decay he inherited from his predecessor and the massive dislocation and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged the entire country.

He commissioned projects a...